The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 03, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 03, 2008
Matthew J. Lawrence, San Francisco, CA (US);
Alexander F. Hoermann, Menlo Park, CA (US);
David R. Mills, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Scott P. Phillips, Marina Del Rey, CA (US);
Scott J. Sharpe, Berkeley, CA (US);
Matthew J. Lawrence, San Francisco, CA (US);
Alexander F. Hoermann, Menlo Park, CA (US);
David R. Mills, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Scott P. Phillips, Marina Del Rey, CA (US);
Scott J. Sharpe, Berkeley, CA (US);
Areva Solar, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
A measuring device comprising a base, feet connected to the base, and an inclinometer mounted on the base is used to characterize a surface. The feet are placed in direct contact with the surface at a predetermined position. The inclinometer measures the angle of the surface relative to gravity at the predetermined position. In some embodiments, multiple measuring devices are connected to an arm, in order to measure different positions on the surface simultaneously. The arm may be moved by an actuator to the next predetermined position on the surface. In some embodiments, multiple measuring devices are connected to a frame that is substantially the same size as the surface to be characterized, such that the entire surface can be characterized without moving the frame.